What He Wants
by MKAngelus
Summary: Its Christmas and Angel finds there is something he wants more than anything he's ever wanted before. Is it worth giving up his soul to get?
1. Chapter 1

** Not sure where this came from or where it's going. Just a hunch, it sounded like it would be fun. As with all my other stuff, be kind in your reviews. If you can't be kind, be honest. I don't own any of these characters but would love to have met them. MKAngelus**

The faintest of breezes brought the words to Jingle Bells as sung by the latest boy band flavor of the month to the sidewalk outside the large display window. A window that shimmered and sparkled from the hundreds of tiny candle like lights adorning a large white Christmas tree, surrounded by crudely wrapped presents and an old lumpy rag rug, intending perhaps to bring to mind Christmases from long ago. There was an antique rocking horse, a wooden sled and ice skates better suited to Hans Christian Andersen than Johnny Weir all were casually arranged at the base of the tree. No doubt perfectly suited for the imaginary children they were there to be oooohed and aahed over on that most perfect morning of the year. A small doll, intricately handmade also placed where she could be picked up by a little girl with love in her heart rounded out the homey picture. Behind the tree, the window designers had depicted a middle class Irish home, sparse but clean, well loved yet obviously not what the denizens of Los Angeles California would be used to seeing; at least not in this day and age.

Cordelia Chase, tall, bronzed, athletic and toned gazed into the window, trying to see what it was that had made her companion stop and stare. She tossed her short brunette hair impatiently and rolled her eyes, catching her reflection briefly she noticed what looked like a spot on her forehead, leaning in close to the window, she checked carefully and saw it was simply her imagination. What wasn't her imagination was the lack of reflection her companion cast, luckily no one had noticed yet. Not in the hustle and bustle that was this LA street three days before Christmas. "Angel," she said, dragging his name out slightly to accent her irritation, "Not that I don't mind the view of Christmas past sans the musty ghosts but why are we stopping here of all places?" Her displeasure was nothing new to Angel, and yet today it didn't even register. He only had eyes for one thing.

Headlights ricocheted off the window, causing the faux candle lights to appear to be moving about the tree, the light sought the darkest corners, letting them briefly show their hidden depths, yet only one thing mattered. To him that was. Checking her watch again, Cordelia sniffed and tried again to distract him, "Earth to Angel, Hellooo…" she said tugging on the sleeve of his well worn leather jacket. "What are you looking at Broody boy?"

Looking briefly away from the window and down into her face, Angel sensed at last her impatience. He shook his head slightly to refocus his attention to now, the 21st century and smiled slightly, "I'm sorry Cordy, I thought I saw something." He said and then finished mentally, _something that can't possibly be here._

"What is it?" She asked warily, turning back towards the window. Shopping with Angel was usually as much fun as a root canal, so for something to have caught his attention it was either going to be some big bad thing that was going to bring around the end of the world, again; or it was something he may not have understood the significance of. Being around for 250 plus years didn't mean that current trends were something he grasped right away she had come to find out. When they'd first started their business, Angel Investigations he hadn't even known what 'little blue boxes' signified.

"It's..." He paused. The lack of cars currently had shrouded the lower corner of the window again and he leaned in closer, his own very keen vampire eye sight straining through the glass to see what wasn't there, or at least shouldn't be there. Another car drove by and the corner lit up briefly, he saw it again. "It's that necklace, there, look!" He pointed towards the corner and she looked, not seeing anything at all.

"Sorry Angel, I didn't see it." She said and noticed that there was a woman and her child staring into the window now too, however they weren't staring so much into the window as they were at the window. Tugging his sleeve with urgency she said, "Angel, we have to go, let's go inside?" Lost again to her as he strained to pierce the darkness she reached up and pinched his ear.

"OW! Cordy what?" He turned to look at her, rubbing his ear. She opened her eyes wide and nodded at the other two window shoppers, now joined by a middle aged man, his hand holding a camera phone. "I think its best that we get away from the window now Angel, these nice people want to look at the Flintstone Christmas, come on." She pulled his sleeve again and started to walk away.

"That man doesn't have a reflection." The woman said to her son and then to the man, "Look."

Angel realized why Cordy was wanting them to move and turned towards her fully now, "Oh you're right Cordy, let's go." He said awkwardly moving towards the small inset door that housed the rest of the stores' delights.

"No, couldn't be." The man responded, absently checking the time on his phone and putting it away. "Must have been a trick of the lights. Come on, it's time to get home, we've got S A N T A gifts to assemble." He said, spelling the name in deference to the young boy still holding her hand.

Angel stood behind Cordy in the doorway as she reached down and pushed open the door. A bell tinkled faintly alerting their arrival to the store clerk. A tiny little man, not hardly bigger than a child himself, he was sitting on a stool behind a wide counter. The counter was glass and housed a myriad of items, looking around the store, Cordy wrinkled her nose at the musty odor but Angel, standing stock still behind her seemed enchanted. He strode around her immediately and went to the counter, bending down he looked inside and smiled, there was a silver pendant, engraved with a Celtic cross and a small emerald it hung on a long silver chain, a dagger next to it, wooden hilt, intricately carved with symbols continuing down to the blade. Next to that a woman's brooch with a heart outlined in red ochre and white ivory a small china bowl with gold gilt rounded out the display. He looked at the items and mentally cataloged them, things he hadn't seen in over 200 years and never in America.

Cordy, not used to his enthusiasm in a store stepped around him and looked into the cabinet too. It looked like what she imagined a pawn shop display would look like, pathetically trying to display costume jewelry in the right light to make someone think they were getting better than nothing. She turned up her nose at the broken pendent and dirty knife. The brooch appeared to have been broken and glued back together by monkeys. She strolled around the counter towards the merchandise stacked indifferently around the darkened and dusty store. It all looked like junk to her. She looked up and saw the only light appeared to be coming from the Christmas lights in the window and a solitary bulb hanging over the counter. Darkened cabinets behind the gnome of a man held books, candles and other odd assorted items.

"Angel" she whispered, "What is it?"

"Its home." He whispered back.

"Home?" She said condescension in her tone. "Home as in I live in a roach infested tenement and wow look at all the pretty junk? That kind of home?" She asked.

The little man behind the counter slid off of the stool and came around the counter, looking up at her with a snide little grin he said, "Is there something of interest there for you young man?" Cordelia looked down at him, noting his disheveled appearance and caught the faintest whiff of other worldliness about him. Just as she opened her mouth to say something the bell tinkled again and the room brightened tremendously. All at once, the store was alive with the smell of cinnamon pine cones; the counter was full of jewelry, glass orbs and small beautifully kept trinkets. Antique furniture and toys, well polished and gleaming oozed old world charm, glorious tiffany lamps and delicate lace shawls on tables that displayed small boxes and more books, Cordelia looked around in shock.

A couple of well dressed women entered the store, holding their many shopping bags and chattered about the display window. The man, now not quite as small as he appeared clapped his hands together and smiled at the women, "Ladies, how may I be of service?" He inquired.

Angel stood, and looked around surprised. He noticed Cordelia standing with the same look on her face and started to speak when she raised her hand and cut him off, "Oh no Bucko, we're getting out of here, I don't know what kind of funky mojo this place has, but I'm not about to get sucked into something out of a Stephen King novel, let's go." She grabbed his lapel and tugged him towards the door. Not easy to do with a specimen as muscular and solid as Angel, but in his current state easier than she expected. They both exited the store and he looked back towards the window. The display was now showing the same Christmas tree but the handmade doll was gone, in its place a nice neat china doll, adorned in the latest 18th century fashion, the rest of the window had shifted as well and looked like the window of an antique store before Christmas would look, instead of like the inside of an old Irish home.


	2. Chapter 2

**Long and drawn out, simple maybe a little predicatable. Who knows. Once again I have a beginning and an end it's just that pesky bridge in the middle. MKAngelus**

CH2

Cordelia linked her arm through his and managed to get him started in the direction she wanted to continue in although with him looking over his shoulder continuously it was becoming difficult.

"Geez Angel, what is it with that place?" She exclaimed.

He looked down at her and at first without recognition, shaking his head slightly he said, "I don't know Cordy, it just was so full of things I thought were long gone. Did you see the detail on the dagger?" Angel's excitement was slightly out of place, although with weapons he was often animated, what was more concerning to her was the slight Irish lilt she detected in his voice.

"Angel that dagger looked like it was used to kill a hundred demons and never once sterilized or even wiped off, so EW no I didn't notice any detail other than that, and what's with the lucky charm inspired trip down memory lane anyway?" She asked, already moving on to the next stage of their shopping adventure and looking for a place to cross the street to the other block of late night boutiques.

Angel was confused, he hadn't seen anything but a highly polished and detailed dagger, the wooden hilt hand carved by his own Granddad and often admired by the young Liam. He shrugged and made himself a mental note to come back and check the store out the next night without Cordelia in tow. Turning his mind to the task at hand he smiled at her and the two of them continued on their shopping.

Entering the Hyperion lobby a few hours later, laden down with packages and dreading another night like this one with the shopping queen Angel flopped down on the sofa and closed his eyes. Hearing the two of them come in, Wesley and Fred poked their heads out of Wes's office.

"Were you successful?" Wesley asked

"If by 'were you successful' did you mean I was reminded of why I'm destined to be alone the rest of my long life and I never want to go shopping for anything again than yes, we were successful." Angel responded wearily.

"Oh ha ha tall dark and Fangy." Cordelia piped up from behind the lobby counter where she and Fred were perusing some of the gifts. "Yes, Wesley, we got your Christmas present and no you can't see it."

Wesley sputtered and started to speak, "I wasn't asking about Christmas presents Cordelia, I was asking if you were able to get the Grim'lech Ruin Translation book that you went out to get about…" He paused dramatically and looked at his watch, "About four hours ago." He finished in a clipped tone.

"Yes oh whiny one we got your book." Cordelia came through the door way and handed it to him.

Fred squealed and Cordelia hustled back over to her, "What?"

"Is this for me?" She asked with childlike wonder holding up a long, slinky black dress.

Cordelia snatched it out of her hand as Wesley looked up from his book and Angel opened one eye to see himself, "No, Fred, not that one…that one was…well, it was on sale and I got it for me, from Angel."

Angel sat all the way up, "When did that happen Cordelia? I was with you the whole time." He smiled slightly.

"The whole time? Even when you went to visit the blarney stone?" She replied her eyebrow arched. "Don't worry about it, this way you don't have to pretend that you forgot it's Christmas and explain why you didn't get anything for anyone like oh, every year." She smiled and gathered the dress up and put it back into the bag and grabbed the rest of them up and started to make her way upstairs.

"I wasn't going to forget." He grumbled softly to himself, thinking that was the whole reason he agreed to let her come along, he'd get ideas and go back the following night to get the things she felt that the rest of their motley family couldn't live without. He watched her go and allowed himself to get lost in the sway of her hips, watching the soft hair brush the back of her neck and admiring the strong lines of her legs.

Lost to the rest of the room Angel had no idea that Fred and Wesley both were watching him watch Cordelia leave until Wesley cleared his throat, "Ahem, Angel?" He crossed the lobby to wear Angel was sitting and continued, "What did she mean about your trip to the Blarney Stone? Did you discover a new magick shop?"

Angel looked up and said, "What?"

Wesley suppressed a smile and said again, "What did Cordelia mean about the Blarney Stone?"

"Oh, that." Angel said his brow furrowing briefly, "There was this shop window and it had some old toys and antiques in it and a necklace that I haven't seen in 200 years…" He trailed off remembering the last time he'd seen it in fact.

_He'd knocked on the door and his sister answered and after assuring her that he was indeed her Angel come back to see her as he'd promised he'd entered the house and began to establish himself as the killing machine known as Angelus. Prior to ending the life of his father, he'd killed his own mother and around her neck was the necklace he'd seen tonight. A gift from his father when Liam himself had been born, she'd not taken it off since news of his death. _

"Angel?" Wesley prompted.

"I'm sorry Wes, can we do this later, I'm going to go upstairs and lie down." Angel said standing and moving towards the stairs. Wesley watched him go up and Fred commented, "That was weird. How could a necklace he hasn't seen in 200 years be here in LA and lie down? Fighting a Gortlath demon and he's full of energy, shopping with Cordelia and he gets sleepy? And did you see how he watched her butt?"

Wesley glanced at Angel's retreating back once more and then walked over to where Fred was standing and said, "I agree Fred, it is weird. However, sometimes memory items can trigger feelings of guilt and you know how much guilt he carries around. I would like to know what shop they were at though, if something from Angel's past has manifested in LA now I can't imagine that it would be for anything good." He stopped and blushed slightly and then said, "Why was he watching her butt?"

Fred just shook her head at Wesley's naiveté and retreated to his office where they'd been cross referencing some demon activity.

Angel went inside his room and tossed his jacket on the first chair he encountered. Grabbing a pad and charcoal pencil he flopped into the matching chair and began sketching furiously. Stopping briefly to erase a small flaw and then continuing he didn't even register the door opening and that he had a guest.

"Well hello Cinnamon Bun what have we here?" Lorne's typical greeting for once not making Angel feel like he was sitting front and center at Mama Leone's bakery.

"It's a necklace Lorne." He responded, looking over it with pride and longing.

"Thanks Crumpet, I can see that. Why the sudden urge to join Cartier?" He reached down and took the sketchpad from Angel's lap and studied it closer, "It's beautiful, something for our fair haired, well not so fair haired but fair enough lady friend?" He asked.

Angel snatched the pad back and said, "No, nothing like that, it was my mother's necklace."

Lorne raised his eyebrow and then took a sip of his ever present Seabreeze, "Hmm…I'm sensing a bit of conflict and confusion here Pumpkin, care to hum a few bars of your favorite Irish ditty?" Lorne crossed over and sat in the chair opposite his friend.

"No Lorne, I'm not going to sing or hum or even whistle a happy tune." Angel said still staring at the necklace. _I'm going to find out why it's here_ he suddenly decided. Standing up he tossed the pad onto his bed and looked over at the flamboyantly dressed empathy demon. "Don't say anything about the necklace to Wesley okay?"

Just then the door pushed open, "Necklace?" Cordy asked. Her interest piqued. "What necklace? Oh you don't mean the one you thought you saw at Ireland's house of crap emporium do you?" She bustled into the room and put a couple of bags of things on the bed next to the drawing. "Here Angel, the gifts 'you' got for everyone." Picking up the drawing she looked it over, "Although, I wouldn't say no to it, that's beautiful Angel."

Lorne looked from one to the other and said, "No Peach Pie, it's not that, we were talking about another necklace altogether and if you know what's good for you, you'll let this one slide. After all the big man is still watching you for another couple of days." He reached out and linked his arm in hers.

"Big man? Watching me?" Cordy wrinkled her nose and looked around, "Who's watching me? Angel? What big man?" She looked up at Lorne, confused.

"Santa sweetie, I meant Santa, the big man in red; he's still making sure you're gonna be a last minute entry on the good list." Placating her he patted her arm and the two of them exited the room. Lorne left Cordy in her own room and continued to his suite wondering what Angel was hiding, why that necklace had his thoughts swirling faster than a go go dancer and whether or not he knew about his feelings for Cordelia.

Angel slipped his jacket back on and after one last look at the necklace he left his room again. Heading down the stairs he slipped out of the hotel with no one the wiser. The only person that did see him leave in fact was the little man, once again perched on his stool, waiting behind the counter where he'd been waiting for years. For this night, the night that Angel was once again tempted by what he wanted and couldn't have. Smiling he clapped his childlike hands together and said, "Come on Angel, come down to me place and let's see what you have to trade for the pretty pretty necklace."


	3. Chapter 3

**Just a little filler, I didn't want it to end up a ten page chapter...working on the next bit immediately. Feeling like I could write more if there were some reviews, good, bad or ugly. VDM just likes to see her name in print. MKAngelus**

CH3

Angel stood in partial shadow, down the block on the corner from the shabby little store. The headlights splashing the window fronts much less frequently now that the true night had fallen on LA, people had gone home, to their families, or to the bars with those families, they'd just gone. They'd left the block appearing abandoned, and that was how Angel liked it. Staring at the window, where earlier he'd seen the necklace, he wasn't a bit surprised when the Christmas lights came back on. The glow in the window so out of place; but that wasn't the only thing out of place. He heard the ringing of bells, a slow mournful sound reminiscent of Christmas Eve Mass he'd attended with his family. Stepping out of the shadows, Angel made his way to the door. A holly wreath hanging on the door brought a sharp pinch to his otherwise unpinchable heart. That had been Kathy's favorite part of the traditional decorations.

He stepped into the darkened doorway and the door swung inward. As before, the room was lit by only the bare hanging bulb, dusty and musty, rat droppings strewn about, but none of that was visible to Angel. Instead, on the cracked glass counter, the necklace rested on a pale pink velveteen display rack. Moth eaten and pitted, still Angel saw none of that. He just saw the necklace as he'd remembered it.

"Come inside Angel, sit down and we'll visit." The old man intoned in his lyrical Irish brogue. "Come in." Much like the spider whispered to the fly, Angel came in, lost in his memories of home, of his family and of Christmas's so far past they were hard to even visualize. He strode directly to the counter and sat upon a stool that had been placed in front of the counter. Reaching out to touch the necklace he smiled sadly and retreated into his memories, completely oblivious to the quiet chatter of the old man. "That's right Angel, sit right down. Would you care for a drink?" He asked with a wink and a sneer. "No? Alright then, let's just talk a bit about the home country, shall we?"

And talk they did, Angel; oblivious to the old man's constant quiet chatter started speaking, his memories coming to the forefront of his mind. He spun tale after tale of his life, as a child, when Kathy was born, his love for his sister and his mother, the tremulous times with his father and as a young man when the anger took over his life and blinded him. All night long he spoke and the old man urged him on when he paused, handing him the necklace to hold, encouraging him to rid himself of the guilt his life choices had caused him. He spoke right up til dawn when the old man clapped his hands the sound like thunder.

Angel looked up, startled, taking in his surroundings. "It's time to go Angel, time to go back to your hotel. Perhaps, I'll see you tonight though?" The old man said, taking back the necklace and hobbling around the corner of the counter, he placed it back in the display window. Angel glanced around and nodded. "Yes, I'd like that." He said absently. Without sparing another glance around the room he left the store and his vampire senses instantly kicked back in. He knew he had only minutes to get below ground before he became a dust pile forgotten by the world, striding away quickly his long leather trench coat billowing around his legs he looked like a man on a mission.

The woman stocking the newspaper display looked up, startled as the man strode by her. She hadn't even heard him. _He looks pretty good _she thought, a little older than she liked them though. Although, he carried his age well, the graying hair could be colored and hey, this was LA, wrinkles could be whisked away in an hour or less. Smiling at her silly dreams she shook her head, as if she had any right to give this guy any kind of makeover, mental or not. He was what he was, a middle aged man hurrying to an early morning appointment.

Cordelia came into the office and put her bag down behind the reservations counter. Grabbing the half full coffee pot, she drained the carafe and prepared it to be filled with caffeinated goodness. Stretching slightly she made a small mewing noise and yawned quietly, not hearing the stealthy barely there sounds of Angel returning via the basement to the hotel. Wesley entered shortly after Cordelia, sporting a large pink bakery box.

"I knew you'd remember!" She chirped, bustling over to get first pick. She placed a jelly donut on a napkin and into the top drawer of her desk. She'd never tell, but knew that Angel harbored a simple crush on the confections so she tried to get him one when she could. Never easy if Gunn or Fred were around, but since it was just her and Wesley, easily accomplished. Taking another napkin, she split a sugared donut in half and glanced wistfully at the other half before retreating to her desk. _A minute on the lips, a lifetime on the hips_ she thought.

"It's hard to forget when there are messages left on both one's cell phone and home phone." Wesley muttered under his breath as he selected his own donut and turned to his office.

Cordelia snorted and rolled her eyes. Fred came down the back stairs then, "Donuts? Do I smell donuts?" She said her voice as childlike as she appeared to be.

"Yes Fred, you smelled correctly. Sugary confections of the highest caloric value just for us, courtesy of Wesley." Cordelia smiled, Fred could smell food like Angel could smell blood.

Fred giggled and grinned over at Wesley, which caused him to blush and look down, which in turn earned another eye roll from Cordelia. Even though she knew that Wesley harbored a crush for the waif like girl they'd rescued from Pylea, she knew that he'd never act on it. Normally, they would have been joined by the mocha block of muscle that rounded out their weird little family, but Gunn had been asked to help some former gang members of his with a small demon eradication problem and had been gone for a few days.

After the initial meet and greet of the morning and once the heady scent of coffee filled the air, Fred resumed her normal position in Wesley's office, her nose in a book. Wesley assumed his position behind the door, his nose also buried in his book. Notepad ever present to jot down the mysteries of the world, and Cordelia stationed herself at the main desk, her laptop on and with her own nose buried in both the bills that needed paid, the bills that wouldn't be paid, and every now and again a brief peek at one celebrity site or another so that she could keep her finger on the pulse of LA.

It was hours later when Cordelia looked up and stretched again, she rolled her neck and shoulders and stood up, bending over to briefly touch her toes. Afterwards she walked into the office and asked, "Hey, it's been pretty quiet here this morning, no Lorne, no Gunn and best of all no skull cracking visions." Although she'd been made partly demon by the PTB and the visions no longer hurt, she still winced just remembering how bad they'd gotten there at the end. Well, what would have been the end if left unchecked.

Wesley yawned himself and removed his glasses, rubbed his eyes and then wiped the glasses with his ever present white handkerchief, settling them once again on the bridge of his nose, he said, "Remarkable isn't it? Maybe we'll get a reprieve of some sort this holiday season, wouldn't that be something?"

Fred nodded and said, "Has anyone seen Angel? Usually he wanders down by now." She looked towards the stairs and then back at the other two. Ever since he'd rescued her from Pylea she'd had a soft spot for him and was the one most likely to ask after him. Cordelia indulged this little fantasy the girl harbored, for of all of them, she was the one closest to Angel. She'd known him from her Sunnydale days, had been through an Angelus attack or two and had been there with him when they'd both needed it the most. She too glanced towards the stairs and then at her watch, "You're right Fred, he's usually got a first class brood going on by now. I think I'll take him a little jelly goodness and see if I can't get him to poke his head outside the door. Who knows, maybe he'll see six less weeks of winter."


	4. Chapter 4

**Rolling right along. Wordy? Too descriptive, not enough action? Probably. Do I care? No. MKAngelus**

CH4

Cordelia along with Angel's donut made their way to the floor of the hotel where the majority of the rooms were habitable. She started to knock on his door, but after hearing the faint whimper from behind the door she simply threw the door opened and made her way through the suite to the glass double doors at the rear which housed his bed. The bed sheets and comforter lay stretched and rumpled every which way and Angel himself was sprawled across the bed, face down; his head under a pillow and the sleep pants she'd gotten him riding low on his hips, very low in fact. So low it was safe to say that that wearing briefs wasn't apparently part of his nightly bed ritual. Cordy swallowed and sucked in a tiny breath, that man was a beautifully carved specimen. She wished she had his ability to sketch; she'd spend hours with him as her model. Shaking her head, she stepped into the room when he whimpered again and turned slightly, his head peeking out from beneath the pillow. She stepped over to the side of the bed and flicked on the bedside lamp and screamed, dropping the donut she put her hand to her mouth and looked quickly towards the main open door.

Angel turned towards the scream and opened his eyes, fangs lightly extended he recognized that it was Cordy, instantly awake and alert he turned over to his back and was ready to leap out of the bed. Staring at her staring at him, her eyes wide above the hand she still had clamped over her mouth. Not seeing whatever it was that would make her squeal he started to talk when she shook her head and moved to the main doors. Her scream had brought the tell tale footfalls of Wesley and Fred running up the stairs and there was no way she was going to let them see this until she'd had a chance to talk to Angel.

Wesley made the door first and came in, axe in one hand, stake in the other. He ran full tilt into Cordy and she stumbled back slightly, as he said, "What is it? Are you okay, is Angel…"

Putting on a fake smile and taking his arm and using his own forward movement to turn him around back towards the door where Fred had stopped, holding her cross bow, she said, "He's fine, I'm fine, we're all fine here, just a spider and it startled me."

"But…"

"No need to worry Wes, we'll be down soon, could you heat up some blood? Angel's got a bit of a…umm…headache is all, I'm gonna take care of him and we'll be right down." She finished somewhat unconvincingly.

Wesley tried to stop inside the doorway and look past her and she quickly grabbed the door and shut it behind her, "He's…well, let's just say morning 'issues' aren't just a human thing, okay?" She said pointedly, eyes wide. Fred recovered quicker and said, "Sure Cordy, we'll see you both downstairs." Fred took Wes's arm and the two of them headed back downstairs. Cordy closed the door and took a step, then moved back and locked it. She leaned against the door and thought; _oh do you have some explaining to do Mister. _

She marched back into the bed chamber where Angel had more or less made himself presentable, he'd pulled his sleep pants up and was wearing a pullover. As presentable as he could given that he couldn't see himself.

"What the hell happened to you?" She asked her voice full of fright and awe.

"What do you mean what happened to me?" He asked, running his hands over his face to make sure he hadn't sported a growth he was unaware of, "What's wrong?"

"Your hair Angel. Your face."

Without thinking about it he strode into the bathroom and looked in the mirror. Before he remembered that it was pointless. Turning back to Cordelia he said, "What about them Cordelia, since I can't see them, maybe you can help me out?"

"Well, unless you've been using Grecian formula for men and you got a really crappy box you're sporting a new look. You're hair is…well, it's…ummm…it's…"

"Spit it out Cordy." He said, worried now.

"It's salt and pepper Angel. Heavy on the salt."

Angel stared at her and then said in that low, slow, deep voice that meant he wasn't playing around, "What's wrong with my face?"

Cordelia knew that he wasn't playing around and answered him straight, "It's wrinkled…Angel, and you look like you've…aged. Like, overnight." She stepped closer to him, and sniffed. "And you smell…you never smell." She wrinkled her nose and placed her finger tips against his face. She stroked his forehead to his cheekbone and down to his chin shaking her head the whole time. "I never thought I'd see you like this, you look like…"

"Like what? And what do I smell like?" he asked panic in his voice and never more in his undead life wishing he had a reflection.

"You look distinguished and old." She paused, "Not as old as the dude that body jacked you, but like mid 40's maybe?" her voice tilting up at the end to make the blow a little softer. "You're still pretty good looking though, if that helps. The hair is a nice touch, and the smell, it's less GQ and more…library chic? You smell musty." She took his hands in hers and turned them over palm down; there were liver spots and wrinkles on them too. "See." She said, showing him, "You've aged Angel."

"How the hell did that happen?" he asked, dropping her hands and stepping around her into the main room, wincing slightly as his body presented minute aches he'd never experienced on waking before. Oh sure, his body hurt after a fight but never for long, and this wasn't pain so much as an inconvenience.

"Some seriously bad juju if you ask me." She said watching him wince slightly and noticing that his normally arrow straight posture was a little…less. She watched him pacing for a minute or so and then said, "Sit down Angel, we need to figure this out, preferably before we go downstairs. I think maybe we need to call Lorne."

"I'm not singing." Angel growled as he did as she asked and sunk into a chair. Closing his eyes, he tented his hand over his forehead and rubbed, trying to feel the wrinkles she saw.

"Well, it's not high on my must do list either Fang boy but unless you have a better idea where to start?"

Angel curled his lip and blew out a breath, which since he didn't have to breathe was more for theatrical purposes than anything, "Okay, call Lorne."

Cordelia went back to his bedside table and using his cell phone quickly dialed the number to Caritas.

"Good afternoon oh tall dark and fang like." Lorne's silky smooth microphone honed voice purred into her ear.

"Lorne, it's Cordy." She said briskly.

"Sure honey, of course it is, because you call from Angel's phone all the time, what can I do for you lemon pie?"

"Well, we have a problem." She started to say when she could hear Lorne shift away from the phone slightly.

"No, put the entrails below the bar unless you want the Klagg'thar demons oozing all over the bar all night…" he said to the newest bartender.

"I'm sorry Cordy, what was that?" he said back into her ear.

"Lorne, we need you here, now."

Lorne heard the tone and registered it, but true to his nature wasn't above pretending to be offended, "Okay little Miss demony-britches, no need to go all Linda Blair on me, what's the haps?"

"It's definitely something you have to see to believe." She said, sneaking a glance at Angel who was once again alternating between looking at his older hands and roaming his face. She turned her back on him when he lifted his shirt to look at his century old six pack and his eyes widened slightly when it wasn't as taut as it was when he'd gone to bed.

"Just tell him to get his Pylean ass over here!" He raised his voice; sure that Lorne would hear him.

"Right away Missy, I'm on my way, tell his broodiness to settle down." Lorne ended the call and after giving some brief instructions he was sure would be forgotten before he was out of eyesight he made his way out of Caritas, wondering if he'd be back tonight to nurse a Seabreeze or if he'd be spending his night at what was rapidly becoming his hotel away from home.

Cordy put the phone down and got a glass of water from the bathroom, taking it and the previously forgotten donut over to Angel, she sat down opposite him. "Don't worry Angel, we'll figure this out, I mean it's got to be something mystical right? Vampires don't have…growth spurts do they? Like, the terrible two hundred and fifties?" She asked.

Wearily Angel shook his head and took the glass of water she offered, "No Cordelia. Vampires don't age. I don't age. I'm 27, well you know, plus a couple of centuries." She handed him the donut and he looked at it.

"Jelly?" He asked, his dark eyes peeking at her from beneath his lashes in that demure way she loved.

"Only the best for you big guy." She said with a smile on her face. "27 huh? I wouldn't have said a day over 30." He looked up sharply from the jelly donut and caught her wink.

She stood and told Angel she was going downstairs to get his blood and let Wes and Fred come up and see him, after explaining what they'd see. Shortly after she left, Angel stood up and looked down his torso, turning slightly he looked down the back of his body. Definitely less cut than when he'd gone to bed, he noticed his own posture was changed as well. Settling back into the chair, he thought back over his night, wondering if he'd touched something or drank something that was new. His foggy brain cleared just slightly when he mentally pictured the store front and the necklace. Relaxing as he thought of the necklace, he didn't even hear Cordy, Wes and Fred come back in to his room, the Host following them and wondering why it was so urgent he be here.

The man behind the counter smiled and rubbed his hands together, "That's right Angel, think of the necklace, you'll be fine." He stood, a little taller and straighter than before and clicked his heels together, unlocking the door and allowing the glamour to mist out across the room. _Time to start the day_, he thought, _after all tonight is going to last a very very long time_.

Lorne took one look at Angel and blanched, it wasn't just the sleep pants and tousled pull over, even Angel had his grubby days, it was the fact that Angel had added about 30 years to his look and his look was somewhat…vacant.

"Okay cats and kittens, does someone want to explain to me why it looks like Angel got attacked by an aging spell?" Lorne asked, kneeling in front of Angel.

"Well we'd all like to know that very same thing." Wesley said. He was perplexed, in all his extensive watcher training and research, not to mention all the research he did for fun he'd never come across anything like this before. There were simply no instances of vampires actually aging, they stayed the age they were turned, it was one of the few guarantees of this and any world that he was familiar with.

"This is so out of my range of weird I don't know what to think." Lorne said with a solemn tone rarely in his vocal range.

"Do you want me to sing?" Angel asked all of a sudden, back amongst the group and practically staring his green skinned friend in the face.

Lorne considered, "Honestly honey, no. I'd rather follow an elephant around with a spoon, however, give it a go, let's see what the pipes say to old Uncle Lorne."

Angel took a moment, presumably to think of a song and then began to sing, "Oh Danny boy, the pipes, the pipes are calling from glen to glen, and down the mountain side the summer's gone, and all the flowers are dying 'tis you, 'tis you…" he paused and the three of them let out their collective breaths. Not only was the song not a Barry Manilow classic, it was Irish which Angel rarely let slip and it was done in a soft and seductive Irish baritone which Angel did not actually have.

Lorne sat back on his heels and then held his hand up to Fred, "Help me up here Fredikins." He said remotely, staggering back from Angel he put his hand against his mouth.

"What is it Lorne? What did you see?" Wesley asked, instantly on the alert.

Lorne stepped away from the group and looked down at Angel who was looking intently back at him, he snorted slightly and licked his lips and then smiled, "Nothing Wes, nothing at all. Angel's…well he's fine. Right as rain, tip top, cat's meow and all the rest of the assorted metaphors."

"What do you mean he's okay?" Cordy asked, hands on her hips, "Look at him, he's not fine, he's Angel squared!"

Lorne shook his head again and said, "I know what it looks like guys and gals, but according to my not so inconsiderate abilities, there is absolutely nothing wrong with Angel that a good box of hair dye and Botox won't fix; sorry kiddies that's all I've got for you." He truly did look apologetic and putting his hand on Angel's shoulder he said, "I'll do some digging in the demon underground for you big guy." Then he turned to Wes and the girls and said, "I'll let you know if I find anything."

They watched him leave the room and Cordy scoffed, "Well, that's one shiny demon that's getting a stocking full of coal this year."

"I don't know Cordelia, maybe this isn't as mystical as it seems?" Fred suggested.

They looked at each other and then to Angel, who stood and smiled his lop sided smile, the one that tugged at Cordelia's heart strings more and more it seemed. "Well, if there was ever a group of people that could figure this out, it's you guys. I'm going to take a shower and get dressed, drink my blood and then hit the streets, see what I can find. I'll keep in touch okay?"

"Not okay Mister. Not okay by a long shot, do you think I'm letting you out of my sight?" Cordy asked indignantly, "Just look what kind of trouble you get into without me around. Next thing we know you'll be leaning on a cane and cussing out the TV. Nuh uh, I don't think so. Where you go, I go." She stood in front of him, arms crossed, her best 'you better not mess with me look' on her face.

"Even to the shower?" Fred asked casually.

Cordelia turned to the slight girl and raised an eyebrow, "No, that's even a little EW for me."

"Hey." Angel said, pretending to be hurt.

"I think Angel is right Cordelia, we actually need you on the laptop while Fred and I hit the books, he's still himself and it makes sense for him to go out and see some of the contacts he's made, maybe hit one or two of the magick shops in the area?" Wes said touching Fred's arm and heading to the door.

Cordelia looked at each of them, her own bravado ratcheting down slightly, "Okay, Angel on his geriatric own, fine. But you better keep in touch Fang boy or I'll be out looking for you, and as Vision girl you don't want me on your case, got it?" She punctuated the last words with a poke in Angel's chest.

Rubbing his chest, he said, "I'll check in Cordy, I promise." With a small smolder from his deep set dark eyes, that was how Angel found himself mercifully alone and making plans to go back to see that necklace. He'd decided in the time that he'd been awake that it would make the perfect gift for Cordy. He wanted a chance to buy it before the little man sold it to someone else, someone who didn't want it nearly as bad as he did.


	5. Chapter 5

**It's winding down kids, the big reveal, the big fight and then the big ending are coming. Let's hope it was worth it. MKAngelus**

CH5

Angel once again entered the little shop as the sun was going down. He'd done what he'd intended to do originally, hit up and in some cases actually hit some of his contacts on the street and there was nothing. No buzz of any recent bad juju and certainly no cases of an incredibly aging vampire. Nonplussed he decided that he'd go to the store, get the necklace and head home. He was actually kind of…tired.

The storekeeper was bustling around his shop; he had quite a few non demon-like patrons and was doing his best normal shopkeeper impression. Angel wandered around looking at the various items and occasionally flashing on one or the other as he remembered seeing them when he was alive. At last it was his turn and he stepped to the counter.

"Sir? How may I help you?" The man asked, stepping around the counter. He had one eye on Angel and the other on a woman and her friend in the corner by the hand woven rugs.

"You have a necklace…" Angel started.

"Oh yes Sir, the one in the window?"

Smiling and nodding slightly Angel said, "Yes, that's the one, I'd like to buy it please." Had he heard himself, he would have been surprised that his long forgotten Irish accent was back.

The man behind the counter nodded his head and smiled as well; he walked to the homey looking display window and gathered the necklace up.

"Would Sir like that wrapped?" He asked.

The woman and her companion had selected the rug they wanted and were waiting patiently behind Angel and he said, "I would."

"Certainly Sir, it will just take a moment." He looked around Angel and addressed the two others, "Ladies, I'll be with you soon." He smiled broadly and them and winked. Both ladies giggled slightly. He was a handsome man, a little older than the man in front of them, but he looked fit and sure.

The man took the necklace to a small room behind the counter area and waving his hands over it, he whispered a lyrical chant in a language not meant for human ears over it. The necklace rose from the table, glowing and pulsating with a light that looked like a liquid rainbow, the colors shifting and flowing through and around themselves. Eventually the necklace settled back to the table and he quickly wrapped it in a beautiful dark blue damask box. Taking the box in hand he grinned an evil grin and said quietly to himself, _enjoy this life while you can Angel, it won't be long now before it's mine._

The man returned to the front counter where he noticed that he'd gained a few other patrons. He mentally clapped his hands with glee and thought what a wonderful time Christmas was. Angel took the box and after paying, he made his way out of the store. Thinking how he couldn't wait to see the look on Cordelia's face when he gave it to her.

Cordelia, Wes and Fred spent the majority of the day hitting the internet, demon reference books and calling their own considerable contact base and came up with exactly nothing. Stretching Cordelia stood and shook her hands, "I'm done. I'm going out to get an ab-master and a box of hair color. We'll have Angel back to normal in no time."

Fred looked up sharply to see if Cordelia was kidding or not. Seeing that she was just annoyed at their lack of progress she said, "Call him, he should be heading back by now, maybe he'll have something? Of course, if he had something, he would have called. But maybe where he is he is out of cell service, he does like to play in the sewers and even though it's been dark for ages, maybe he's still down there? Maybe he's hurt? Do you think we should go look for him?" Fred's rambling, disjointed yet somehow endearing questions made Cordelia and Wes both smile.

"He doesn't know how to use his phone Fred, and if Angel was in trouble, I'd know. Higher being remember?" Cordelia smiled at the girl and made her way to the coffee pot.

Fred smiled back and nodded, Cordelia was right; Angel was okay, he'd be back soon. Sure enough, she'd no more thought that thought than Angel walked through the basement access door at the rear of the lobby. He'd stashed the box where even Cordelia couldn't find it and entered the room empty handed.

Seeing all of them staring at him, he looked briefly over his shoulder and then with slight hesitation said, "What?"

"What he asks?" Cordy said, "He's looking like the poster child for a vampire assisted living home and he asks 'what'." She shook her head and took a sip of coffee.

"We're you able to find anything Angel?" Wes asked, stepping into the lobby from his office.

"No Wes, I went to 'Outer Dimensions' and 'Folklore' and looked through some books and talked to Manny and Oswald and neither of them were able to give me anything. I also made the usual rounds and there's nothing out there that is of any use." He sighed and sat down on the circular couch in the lobby left over from the Hyperion's heyday.

"How about you three? Any luck?"

"Nada, Zilch and a big nope." Cordelia said.

Angel stretched somewhat wearily and said, "I seem to be feeling okay, just a little tired, so I think we may have some more time."

Wes pursed his lips and looked at his co-worker and friend. "Angel, I think we may need to bring a mystic in on this, it's possible whatever is causing this isn't necessarily on this plane or even coming from this dimension."

With the weight of his friends concerns on his mind and his shoulders Angel was tempted to agree however there was a small voice whispering in his ear that it wasn't necessary, the grey hair made him look distinguished, he was still a handsome, strong and intimidating man-demon. Lulled into a false sense of nonchalance, he stood up and clapped his hands together.

"No, not yet Wesley, we're bound to find something ourselves, has anyone heard from Lorne? Maybe he's got something?"

"Not yet." Fred said cautiously. She agreed with Wesley, whatever was causing Angel to age wasn't going to be found just lying around.

"Well, we'll wait to see what he has come up with; in the meantime, didn't someone want help with the Christmas tree?" He looked over at Cordelia. She'd been bugging him for days to help bring the still wrapped tree from outside in the courtyard to the inner lobby to be decorated.

Cordelia smiled widely, "I did!"

She put her mug down and taking Angel's arm in hers, the two of them made their way to the courtyard to get the tree. It was after all, the day before Christmas Eve, or it would be in a couple of hours. Angel could have carried the ten foot fir into the lobby himself without even breaking stride, but recognized that Cordelia wanted to help so the two of them wrestled it in. Even laughing a couple of times in the process at their mutual clumsiness, while Cordelia held the stand, Angel picked the tree up and slid it into place. Cordy stood up and stepped back to insure it was straight and using his super human strength, Angel latched the tree trunk into place and stood back himself.

"I'm going to bed." He announced, turning towards the stairs.

"What?" Cordelia asked with her hands on her hips, "You're not going anywhere Buster; we've got to decorate it now!"

Angel turned back, and said wryly, "Cordy? Christmas, not a real big deal for vampires."

Cordelia wasn't about to be dissuaded, "I don't care whether you care about Christmas or not, you're going to help decorate and you're going to like it."

Knowing that he would most likely enjoy it, anything he did with Cordelia was enjoyable he didn't put up a fight, "Okay Cordy, let's decorate." He said rolling his eyes.

Fred turned on the small radio that sat on the counter and tuned it to the station with the Christmas carols, as Angel and Wesley were directed by Cordy to bring in the boxes of decorations that she'd scavenged from some of the upstairs storage, pulling out a box that she'd stashed under her desk as well. She'd been buying trinkets and decorations herself over the past few years and now that they were all in one place, she was determined to enjoy them.

The four members of Angel Investigations spent the wee hours of the morning singing off key Christmas carols and decorating the tree and the lobby. When the early morning rays of sun started to peek into the lobby, flashing on the shiny ornaments here and there, they decided to call it a night or a day as it turned out.

"Now can I go to bed?" Angel whined good-naturedly. It had been centuries since he helped decorate a Christmas tree and he'd actually had fun.

Cordelia nodded, stifling a yawn, she'd been directing the decorating from the couch the past hour anyway, Fred having already gone to sleep on one of the couches. Wes groaned, hanging up a clear globe and stretching. "Finally" he muttered. Cordelia stuck her tongue out and said, "Wes, give me a ride home on your way?" She stood and yawned again.

Angel looked up he had been hoping that Cordelia would opt to stay here in the room she'd claimed as her own, she would often crash there for an afternoon nap or when they'd been up all night.

"Let's go then." Wes said, yawning himself.

"Maybe you all should stay here?" He mused aloud.

"I haven't been home in over 24 hours," Cordy said, "If phantom Dennis hasn't gone all 'poltergeisty' on the place I'll be shocked."

"I've got some books at home I'd like to look through." Wesley said.

"Okay then, I'll see you guys tonight. Let me just get Fred upstairs." Angel said, stooping to pick up the barely there girl.

Cordy looked over at the man and squinted, it didn't appear that he'd gotten any grayer; she shook her head and smiled, "Come on Wes, let's go."

She entwined her arm in his and the two of them made their way out. Angel carried Fred to her room and after settling her in bed, he made his way to his own room. Instead of going in though, he went back downstairs to the basement. He pulled out the beautifully wrapped box and opened it carefully. He trailed his fingers gently over the jewels and felt the almost lifelike warmth of the necklace. Holding it in his hand he didn't notice that the basement disappeared, the room fading and shimmering like a portal to reveal a green rolling hillside, sheep dotting the landscape, and soon he forgot where he was, lost in visions of Galway and home.


	6. Chapter 6

**A long time coming I know, usual excuses with a new one thrown in, lost my job and then my computer died. Are they valid? Yes. Any less pathetic? No. MKAngelus.**

CH 6

Christmas Eve rolled into LA like fog onto the beach, quickly, quietly and with very little fan fare. Southern California was as far from what the traditional Christmas thoughts were like as a person could get, but even without Hollywood magic the local citizens made the holiday special. This year was no exception, hardly a storefront window or doorway was without something representing the biggest commercial holiday of the year. Driving to work Cordelia enjoyed seeing the lights and trees and even though it was still a brisk 65 degrees out she thought if she squinted into the dusky sky she could almost imagine a white Christmas actually happening.

Cordelia parked behind the Hyperion hotel and exited her car, her hands full of the last minute gifts she'd picked up and the garment bag holding the dress she was going to wear to the Christmas at midnight party Lorne was throwing at Caritas. She was so looking forward to the evening, having convinced Angel that as the 'father' figure of their motley family, it was his duty to go to the soiree and he was definitely going to pretend to be having a good time. And, if she could convince him to kiss her under the mistletoe and maybe get some of these unresolved and frankly confusing feelings out of hiding, so much the better.

She walked into the lobby and was instantly on alert. Fred and Wes were sitting side by side, arrow straight and had identical expressions of shock on their faces. "What?" she asked, slowly setting down her bags as she looked to the staircases on either side of the doorway. Clearing his throat in that annoyingly British way he had, Wes said, "Cordelia…err…well, something else has happened, that is to say, something more has…um, well _happened _to Angel." He stepped towards her and Fred rose from her seat, "Well, nothing more really happened to him," she said soothingly in her soft Texas drawl, "It's really just more of the same?" her statement ending in a slight lilt.

A slight squeak from the basement door made them all turn to see that Angel was no longer the young, robust vampire of only a few days before, instead, he was bent almost in half, his hair totally white, wrinkled and…tiny was the word that came to mind. Cordy put her hand on her mouth and inhaled slightly, her eyes widening and then blinking back the sudden prick of tears she walked towards him. Well, them. He was currently being held up more or less by Lorne.

"What happened?" she whispered, helping Angel to sit on one of the banquet couches. He was lighter than she could have imagined him ever being, looking at him and feeling him slightly lean into her she was utterly shocked at how fragile he seemed. Fragile and Angel were never words she would have imagined having any connection with each other. Angel was heroic. Angel was strong and agile and fearless and ageless and naïve and brilliant and honor bound and there was no way this shell of a man was her Angel. No way was this trembling, shambling gray haired geriatric creature her champion. "I mean, what the HELL happened? Wesley?" she turned to him, half supporting Angel's weight and half reverberating with furious anger. "Lorne?" Turning towards the demon she raised an eyebrow and said, "Do you think Angel is fine, right as rain or any other assorted metaphors now?"

Sensing that this was not the time for light Lorne started to speak at the same time Wesley opened his mouth, but both of them were outdone by the quiet, almost fervent whisper of Angel himself, "Cordelia, it's okay, I feel fine, whatever this is…" he paused to shift, wincing slightly at the ache in his back, "we'll find a cure, vampires don't age and Wesley and Fred and Lorne have all been working hard this afternoon."

"Vampires don't age?" she repeated like a question taking his hand in hers as she knelt in front of him, tears now spilling over her lashes despite her wishes, "That may be true for other vampires Angel, but you're not like other vampires and you, you my love are aging and Angel," she hiccupped slightly and leaned in to him, "I don't want you to die."

"Hold on kids, no one is going to die any time soon." Lorne said holding up his hand and trying to remain stoic, "We'll get to the bottom of this if we have to call in every guru shaman from every dimension, we'll figure it out."

"That's the spirit." Angel rasped, reaching out his arm to Lorne. "I'm just going to go for a walk." He said, once righted and more or less facing the basement. "Oh no you aren't going anywhere, Mister." Cordelia said, rising behind him, one hand on his back and the other holding his arm to steady him, "You're going back to bed and you're going to stay there, who knows where you caught this whatever it is that you have and who knows if you'll get worse. Nope, you're not leaving my sight." She angled him to the elevator where Fred had jumped up to call the cab to the lobby floor. "Don't you worry Angel," Fred said quietly, "We'll get you back as soon as we can." Angel glanced up at her and smiled slowly, his face heavy and wrinkled but his eyes clear, "I know you will Fred, I know you will." He and Cordelia entered the cab and he stumbled slightly which made everyone reach towards him. Cordy easily absorbed his weight and glared at the rest of them, which made them all stand back up. The doors closed and she stared at the hand marking the floors as they ascended to his suite.

Once the elevator doors had opened and she ushered him into his room and had helped him lie down, all the while not saying a word she paused at the inner door to his room and watched him as he lay on the bed, eyes closed, and arms over his chest. As still as death, not needing to breathe at all and apparently too tired to fake it even for her, she gasped as she thought how if they didn't get this figured out and soon, he may be gone from her life for good, long before she wanted him to be and long before she could tell him how she felt.

Angel knew that Cordelia was stopped and watching him pretend to sleep and he'd normally indulge her in some light banter, but, well the truth was he was tired. He was tired and really all he wanted to do was make sure that the necklace he'd gotten her was still safe, which is what he'd been trying to do when Lorne intercepted him. He relaxed as he heard her leave and thought to himself, 'just a moment, I'll lie here for just a moment, and build my strength back up and then go check on the necklace.' After all, tonight was going to be the big night, he'd thought it over carefully and tonight he was going to tell Cordelia how he felt, surrounded by their friends and family at Caritas, he was going to give her the necklace and hopefully come away with her heart.


End file.
